The summit of the Liturgical Year is the Easter Triduum, from the evening of Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday. Though chronologically three days, they are liturgically one day unfolding for us the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery.
The single celebration of the Triduum marks the end of the Lenten Season and leads to the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord at the Easter Vigil.
The liturgical services that take place during the Triduum are:
- Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Thursday)
- Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion (Good Friday)
- Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord (Easter Vigil)
Thousands of the Faithful of the Diocese of Venice gathered at Parishes for the celebration of the Triduum, April 2-5, 2026.
The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Paul Parish in Arcadia includes the commemoration when Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of Holy Communion prior to His arrest and crucifixion. It also observes His institution of the priesthood. This Liturgy included the presentation of the oils blessed and consecrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane during the March 31, 2026, Chrism Mass, at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs, holy oils which will be used for the Sacraments in the Parishes throughout the year. Later was the traditional washing of the feet, reenacting Jesus washing the feet of the Disciples. Following the Prayer after Communion, the Mass concluded with a procession to transfer the Holy Eucharist to a place of repose in the Parish Hall. This action left the tabernacle vacant until the Easter Vigil.
On Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion, the Faithful at St. Raphael Parish in Lehigh Acres participated in the liturgy. This celebration is not a Mass, as the hosts offered at Communion were consecrated on Holy Thursday. The liturgy included the reading of the Passion from the Gospel of John. Next was the presentation of the cross, brought forth unveiled as: “Behold the wood of the Cross, on which hung the salvation of the world.” These words were sung and the congregation responded: “Come let us adore.” The faithful were then encouraged to venerate the cross. The cross at St. Raphael was first venerated by the priests, altar servers and choir, before it was brought to parishioners who were not able to come forward. Each person who venerated the cross did so by a touch, a bow, or a genuflection.
Either prior to, or after, the Good Friday Liturgy, many Parishes hosted the Stations of the Cross, sometimes led by children or including a dramatic retelling, often by Catholic school students.
For the third year in a row, a public Stations of the Cross took place in downtown Venice, starting at Epiphany Cathedral and proceeding into nearby Centennial Park and then down Venice Avenue. Nearly 1,000 took part, including members of the youth group, as the streets were temporarily blocked for the occasion. In addition, faithful from St. Martha, St. Patrick, St. Thomas More, Incarnation, St. Jude and Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parishes in Sarasota took part in the annual Sarasota Ministerial Association Good Friday Stations of the Cross on Main Street. About 750 participated with several Catholic priests and deacons leading the readings at the different stations.
On Holy Saturday, tradition includes the blessing of Easter Baskets, typically filled with to be served on Easter Sunday with candies to be given to children. The only Mass of the day is the Easter Vigil.
On Easter Sunday, several Parishes celebrated Mass outdoors, at sunrise, while extra Masses were added throughout the morning to accommodate the increased numbers common for this holiest of days.
Many Parishes also hosted fun for children which often included Easter egg hunts either on Holy Saturday or following a Children’s Liturgy on Easter Sunday.
